IEBC chairman Erastus Ethekon in a past event

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has suspended the Migwani Ward by-election in Mwingi West Constituency, Kitui County, following interim orders issued by the High Court.

In a statement, the commission said the orders were issued on October 22, 2026, in Kitui High Court Constitutional Petition E011 of 2026, filed by Francis Musili Kauta against IEBC and three others.

The court issued conservatory orders suspending the by-election for 30 days pending the hearing of the petition.

The case is scheduled for hearing on November 11, 2026.

IEBC urged members of the public and all stakeholders to take note of the development, saying further updates would be communicated through its official channels.

The suspension puts the Migwani Ward by-election on hold as the court considers the petition.

The Migwani Ward seat fell vacant on August 6, after former Member of the County Assembly Harrison Maluki Mawia resigned to take up the position of Clerk of the Kitui County Assembly.

The vacancy prompted the IEBC to schedule a by-election to fill the seat for the remainder of the current county assembly term.

In September, IEBC chairperson Erastus Ethekon gazetted November 17 as the polling date and outlined timelines for candidate nominations, campaigns and other electoral activities.

The commission subsequently opened applications for accreditation of media practitioners and election observers ahead of the planned poll, with the deadline set for October 30.

The by-election had also attracted political interest, with the contest shaping up as a face-off between Kalonzo Musyoka's Wiper and President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

The two parties had intensified their campaigns in the ward as they sought to demonstrate their political influence in Ukambani ahead of the 2027 General Election.

For Wiper, the contest presented an opportunity to retain its influence in a region traditionally associated with Kalonzo, while UDA was seeking to expand its support base.

The court's intervention now leaves the immediate future of the by-election uncertain as parties await the hearing of the petition on November 11.